Well last night after packing up my Christmas pottery display at a local sale I was unloading a few items into the studio to find a skunk had cut loose under the floor of studio.

As of right now the shop is too ripe to stay in for any length of time. Now this is not my first go round with skunks and the studio. Just lastyear I live trapped 3 of them and displaced them and fortified the exterior.The only place I missed was behind a spare electric kiln stored against the shop wall and of course this is where he choose to dig under and nest x-mas eve.

The good news is I am now taking my forced 6-week break fromt he studio and doing things like book keeping and tax prep for fun. So staying out is ok for now. The bad newsis I have to set up the flour board ( to see her tracks) and live trap and deal the skunk now that she decided that under the clay studio is the next best place to heaven to have babies or just over winter. One tip I have learned is skunks seem to not climb but can really dig so an under ground barrier is needed.

I think life just gave you a Christmas present by making you take a break and a breath. We get skunks in our yard and worry about our dog getting sprayed with one but other than that they don't bother us. I got a porcelain vase that is quilted, button tucked and twisted from my daughter-inlaw for Christmas, it's a very nice piece. She bought it at a student sale at Kansas State University, my son and her decided about a year ago they would by local artist works for presents when ever possible. Now that's a Christmas present! I hope your skunk problem is easy to solve and that you had a Merry Christmas. Denice